What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedDiscourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius
Niccolò Machiavelli · Book · 2022
If you loved Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, start with Revolutions (Mike Duncan, 2025) — a podcast on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius across media.
What hooked you in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius is the way grand political machinations reveal the raw, unvarnished nature of human ambition.
Films on the same thread
The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola · Film · 1972
Shares a thread with Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius: Power.
Just as Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius dissects the mechanics of power, this saga exposes the brutal, calculated strategies required to maintain control within a corrupt hierarchy.
Bicycle Thieves
Film · 1948
Explores: Poverty, Desperation, Father-son relationship.
While Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius examines state-level governance, this film captures the crushing weight of systemic neglect that Machiavelli understood to be the precursor of instability.
The Conformist
Bernardo Bertolucci · Film · 1971
Explores: Fascism, Political Conformity, Moral Ambiguity.
This film mirrors the cynical political observations found in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, focusing on the moral compromises individuals make to survive within a fascist state.
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Film · 1970
Explores: Abuse of Power, Political Corruption, Moral Ambiguity.
Much like the analytical rigor of Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, this thriller explores the tension between personal morality and the rigid demands of the state apparatus.
Series on the same thread
I, Claudius
Martin Lisemore · Series · 1976
Shares a thread with Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius: Ancient Rome.
This series serves as a dramatized companion to the lessons in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, detailing the lethal power struggles inherent in Roman imperial governance.
Rome
Bruno Heller · Series · 2005
Shares a thread with Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius: Ancient Rome.
Experience the transition from republic to empire that Machiavelli analyzed in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius through this grounded, visceral depiction of ancient Roman political life.
House of Cards
Beau Willimon · Series · 2013
Shares a thread with Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius: Power.
Frank Underwood embodies the ruthless political maneuvering described in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, proving that the drive for power remains a constant across human history.
Veep
Armando Iannucci · Series · 2012
Explores: Political Intrigue, Incompetence, Ambition.
This satire exposes the incompetence behind the curtain of modern governance, offering a comedic inversion of the serious political theory Machiavelli explores in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius.
Podcasts on the same thread
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
These historical accounts mirror the cyclical patterns of governance studied in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, providing a clear narrative lens on why political structures ultimately collapse.
Jocko Podcast
Jocko DEFCOR Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: discipline, stoicism, accountability.
The emphasis on stoic discipline and accountability provides a practical, modern application of the civic virtue that Machiavelli champions throughout his classic work, Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the primary focus of Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius?
Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius focuses on political theory. Machiavelli explores the dynamics of power, governance, and civil life by conducting a meticulous examination of the history of ancient Rome as it was originally chronicled by the historian Livy.
How does Machiavelli analyze historical events in Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius?
In Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius, Machiavelli employs an incisive analytical style. He uses a blend of historical narrative and philosophical reflection to unpack complex political concepts and examine the lessons that can be drawn from the events of ancient Roman history.
Is Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius considered a work of political theory?
Yes, Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius is a work of political theory. The text utilizes the history of ancient Rome to investigate the intricacies of governance and power, providing a framework for understanding how political systems function and evolve through time.
What source material does Machiavelli use for Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius?
Machiavelli uses the ancient Roman history chronicled by Livy as the foundation for Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius. By examining the first decade of this historical account, he develops his own philosophical reflections on the nature of political power and civil governance.